Any year in which we have amassed the hottest, longest, deadliest natural calamities in generations, a report on the fourth lowest extent of minimum Arctic sea ice is pretty ho-hum. After all, we've had some real problems on our hands:

"This year is the fourth lowest, and yet we haven't seen any major weather event or persistent weather pattern in the Arctic this summer that helped push the extent lower as often happens," said Walt Meier, a sea ice scientist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "It was a bit warmer in some areas than last year, but it was cooler in other places, too."

That means our new norm, the new status quo is one that leads to a top-five record ice loss.

NASA again:

The sea ice decline has accelerated since 1996. The 10 lowest minimum extents in the satellite record have occurred in the last 11 years. The 2014 minimum was 1.94 million square miles (5.03 million square kilometers), the seventh lowest on record. Although the 2015 minimum appears to have been reached, there is a chance that changing winds or late-season melt could reduce the Arctic extent even further in the next few days.

"The ice cover becomes less and less resilient, and it doesn't take as much to melt it as it used to," Meier said. "The sea ice cap, which used to be a solid sheet of ice, now is fragmented into smaller floes that are more exposed to warm ocean waters. In the past, Arctic sea ice was like a fortress. The ocean could only attack it from the sides. Now it's like the invaders have tunneled in from underneath and the ice pack melts from within."

Some analyses have hinted the Arctic's multiyear sea ice, the oldest and thickest ice that survives the summer melt season, appeared to have recuperated partially after the 2012 record low. But according to Joey Comiso, a sea ice scientist at Goddard, the recovery flattened last winter and will likely reverse after this melt season.

"The thicker ice will likely continue to decline," Comiso said. "There might be some recoveries during some years, especially when the winter is unusually cold, but it is expected to go down again because the surface temperature in the region continues to increase."

All of which means -- it's happening right now. We're not talking about some vague future where our kids' kids have to pull their weight and walk up hill both directions ... As Obama put it:

If we were to abandon our course of action, if we stop trying to build a clean-energy economy and reduce carbon pollution, if we do nothing to keep the glaciers from melting faster, and oceans from rising faster, and forests from burning faster, and storms from growing stronger, we will condemn our children to a planet beyond their capacity to repair: Submerged countries. Abandoned cities. Fields no longer growing. Indigenous peoples who can't carry out traditions that stretch back millennia. Entire industries of people who can't practice their livelihoods. Desperate refugees seeking the sanctuary of nations not their own. Political disruptions that could trigger multiple conflicts around the globe.

NASA caption: Streams and rivers that form on top of the Greenland ice sheet during spring and summer are the main agent transporting melt runoff from the ice sheet to the ocean.
Credits: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Maria-José Viñas less

NASA caption: Streams and rivers that form on top of the Greenland ice sheet during spring and summer are the main agent transporting melt runoff from the ice sheet to the ocean.
Credits: NASA's Goddard Space ... more

Photo: NASA

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NASA caption: Laurence Smith, chair of geography at University of California, Los Angeles, deploys an autonomous drift boat equipped with several sensors in a meltwater river on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet on July 19, 2015.
Credits: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Jeffer less

NASA caption: Laurence Smith, chair of geography at University of California, Los Angeles, deploys an autonomous drift boat equipped with several sensors in a meltwater river on the surface of the Greenland ice ... more

Photo: NASA

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NASA caption: Two researchers with Smith’s team move a sonar-like instrument back and forth across the waters of a melt water river on Greenland’s ice sheet, to measure the depth and speed of the waters.
Credits: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Jefferson Beck less

NASA caption: Two researchers with Smith’s team move a sonar-like instrument back and forth across the waters of a melt water river on Greenland’s ice sheet, to measure the depth and speed of the waters. ... more

Photo: NASA

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Here are a few of the world's other endangered bodies of ice.

Located in the Brabazon Range of southeastern Alaska, Yakutat Glacier is one of the fastest retreating glaciers in the world. It is the primary outlet for the 310-square mile Yakutat ice field, which drains into Harlequin Lake and, ultimately, the Gulf of Alaska. The Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite captured this image of the glacier and lake on Aug. 13, 2013. Snow and ice appear white and forests are green. The brown streaks on the glaciers are lateral and medial moraines. Over the past 26 years, the glacier’s terminus has retreated more than 3 miles.

This image shot from the International Space Station shows the snout of the Upsala Glacier (49.88°S, 73.3°W) on the Argentine side of the North Patagonian Icefield. Ice flow in this glacier comes from the north (right in this rotated image). Dark lines of rocky debris (moraine) within the ice give a sense of the slow ice flow from right to left.

The water color in Lago Argentino is related to the glacier flow. The lake receives most of the ice from the glacier and thus receives most of the “rock flour” -- rocks ground to white powder by the ice scraping against the rock floor of the valley. Glacial flour turns the lake a gray-green hue in this image. The darker blue of the smaller lakes (image bottom) indicates that they are receiving much less rock flour.

The image was taken on Oct. 2, 2013, with a Nikon D3 digital camera using a 300 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. It has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. (Photo: NASA)

This image shot from the International Space Station shows the snout of the Upsala Glacier (49.88°S, 73.3°W) on the Argentine side of the North Patagonian Icefield. Ice flow in this glacier comes from the

On the afternoon of January 3, 2004, the crew took this view of the Upsala Glacier in Argentina through a 400mm lens. This is the third largest glacier of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field with an estimated area of over 800 square kilometers. This long, north-south oriented river of ice terminates in the northern arm of Lake Argentino. Photo: NASA less

On the afternoon of January 3, 2004, the crew took this view of the Upsala Glacier in Argentina through a 400mm lens. This is the third largest glacier of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field with an estimated ... more

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The Southern Patagonian Icefield of Argentina and Chile is the southern remnant of the Patagonia Ice Sheet that covered the southern Andes Mountains during the last ice age. This detailed astronaut photograph from October 2009 illustrates the terminus of one of the icefield’s many spectacular glaciers—Upsala Glacier, located on the eastern side of the icefield.

Upsala is the third largest glacier in the icefield, and like most other glaciers in the region, it has experienced significant retreat over the past century. This image was taken during spring in the Southern Hemisphere, and icebergs were calving from the glacier terminus into the waters of Lago Argentino (Lake Argentina, image right). Two icebergs are especially interesting because they retain fragments of the moraine (rock debris) that forms a dark line along the upper surface of the glacier. (Photo: NASA)

The Southern Patagonian Icefield of Argentina and Chile is the southern remnant of the Patagonia Ice Sheet that covered the southern Andes Mountains during the last ice age. This detailed astronaut photograph

The Southern Patagonian Icefield of Chile and Argentina hosts several spectacular glaciers—including Grey Glacier located in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. This glacier, which in 1996 had a measured total area of 270 square kilometers and a length of 28 kilometers (104 square miles in area, 17 miles long), begins in the Patagonian Andes Mountains to the west and terminates in three distinct lobes into Grey Lake (upper image).

The upper image is a photograph taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station, and it captures a striking blue coloration of the glacier. All three lobes have retreated over the 22-year period, with the greatest loss of ice occurring along the westernmost lobe terminus. (Photo: NASA)

The Southern Patagonian Icefield of Chile and Argentina hosts several spectacular glaciers—including Grey Glacier located in the Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. This glacier, which in 1996 had a

The Petermann Glacier along the northwestern coast of Greenland on July 28, 2010. Photo: NASA

The Petermann Glacier along the northwestern coast of Greenland on July 28, 2010. Photo: NASA

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On August 5, 2010, an enormous chunk of ice, roughly 97 square miles (251 square kilometers) in size, broke off the Petermann Glacier along the northwestern coast of Greenland. The Canadian Ice Service detected the remote event within hours in near-real-time data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The Petermann Glacier lost about one-quarter of its 70-kilometer- (40-mile-) long floating ice shelf, said researchers who analyzed the satellite data at the University of Delaware. Photo: NASA less

On August 5, 2010, an enormous chunk of ice, roughly 97 square miles (251 square kilometers) in size, broke off the Petermann Glacier along the northwestern coast of Greenland. The Canadian Ice Service detected ... more

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The ice island that calved off the Petermann Glacier in northwestern Greenland on August 5, 2010, was continuing its slow migration down the fjord 11 days later. Photo: NASA

The ice island that calved off the Petermann Glacier in northwestern Greenland on August 5, 2010, was continuing its slow migration down the fjord 11 days later. Photo: NASA

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After breaking off the Petermann Glacier on August 5, 2010, a massive ice island floated slowly down the fjord toward the Nares Strait. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this false-color image of the ice island on August 11, 2010. In this image, ice is light blue, water is nearly black, and clouds are nearly white. Although a bank of thin clouds hovers over the fjord, the southernmost margin of the ice island is still visible. Toward the north, the leading edge of the ice island retains the same shape it had days earlier, at the time of the initial calving. Photo: NASA less

After breaking off the Petermann Glacier on August 5, 2010, a massive ice island floated slowly down the fjord toward the Nares Strait. The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) ... more

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In August 2010, the Petermann Glacier along the northwestern coast of Greenland calved an ice island roughly four times the size of Manhattan. Nearly a year later, on July 20, 2011, a piece of that ice island—named Petermann Ice Island-A (PII-A) and about the same size as Manhattan—was still visible to the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite. Photo: NASA less

In August 2010, the Petermann Glacier along the northwestern coast of Greenland calved an ice island roughly four times the size of Manhattan. Nearly a year later, on July 20, 2011, a piece of that ice ... more

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By the time the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite passed overhead on August 22, 2011, the Petermann Ice Island-A (PII-A) had split in two. Photo: NASA

By the time the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite passed overhead on August 22, 2011, the Petermann Ice Island-A (PII-A) had split in two. Photo: NASA

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The ice bridge on the Perito Moreno Glacier in mid collapse was captured in a series of photos by Christian Grosso. You can see the entire series on his Demontix webpage.

The ice bridge on the Perito Moreno Glacier in mid collapse was captured in a series of photos by Christian Grosso. You can see the entire series on his Demontix webpage.

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From NASA: The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the largest in Patagonia. The glacier descends from the Southern Patagonian Icefield (image top) — 6825 feet elevation in the Andes Mountains — down into the water and warmer altitudes of Lago Argentino. (Note: In this photograph from astronauts on the International Space Station, the image is rotated so that north is to the right.)

Perito Moreno is perhaps the region’s most famous glacier because it periodically cuts off the major southern arm (known as Brazo Rico) of Lake Argentino. The glacier advances right across the lake until it meets the opposite shoreline, and the ice tongue is “grounded” (not floating) so that it forms a natural dam. The ice dam prevents lake water from circulating from one side to the other, which in turn causes muddier and “milkier” water to concentrate in Brazo Rico.

Water flows down under the glacier from the mountains, not only carrying the mud into the lake but also helping lubricate the glacier’s downhill movement. Because of this natural ice dam, meltwater from the south raises water levels in Brazo Rico by as much as 30 meters above the level of the water in Lago Argentino. The great pressure of this water ultimately causes the ice tongue to rupture catastrophically in a great natural spectacle.

The last rupture occurred in March 2012, after this image was taken. The process repeats every four to five years as the glacier grows back towards the opposite shoreline. The repeated ruptures have made the glacier and lake a major tourist attraction in the region.

From NASA: The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the largest in Patagonia. The glacier descends from the Southern Patagonian Icefield (image top) — 6825 feet elevation in the Andes Mountains — down into the

Large piece of ice colapses off of the edge of the Glacier Perito Moreno. (Photo: Caly Ponte)

Large piece of ice colapses off of the edge of the Glacier Perito Moreno. (Photo: Caly Ponte)

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The Perito Moreno Glacier. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Perito Moreno Glacier. (Wikimedia Commons)

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The Petermann Glacier grinds and slides toward the sea along the northwestern coast of Greenland, terminating in a giant floating ice tongue. Like other glaciers that end in the ocean, Petermann periodically calves icebergs. A massive iceberg, or ice island, broke off of the Petermann Glacier in 2010. Now, nearly two years later, another chunk of ice has broken free. (NASA) less

The Petermann Glacier grinds and slides toward the sea along the northwestern coast of Greenland, terminating in a giant floating ice tongue. Like other glaciers that end in the ocean, Petermann periodically ... more

Image 23 of 62

The Petermann Glacier grinds and slides toward the sea along the northwestern coast of Greenland, terminating in a giant floating ice tongue. Like other glaciers that end in the ocean, Petermann periodically calves icebergs.

A massive iceberg, or ice island, broke off of the Petermann Glacier in 2010. Nearly two years later, another chunk of ice has broken free. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite observed the new iceberg calving and drifting downstream on July 16–17, 2012.

Because Aqua is a polar-orbiting satellite, it makes multiple passes over the Polar Regions each day. At 10:25 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on July 16 (top image), the iceberg was still close to the glacier. At 12:00 UTC that same day (middle), the berg had started moving northward down the fjord. Thin clouds partially obscure the downstream view. One day later, at 09:30 UTC on July 17, Aqua spied a larger opening between the glacier and the iceberg, as well as some breakup of the thinner, downstream ice.

The iceberg appears to have made a slight counter-clockwise turn. “The floating extension is breaking apart,” said Eric Rignot of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the University of California–Irvine. “It is not a collapse but it is certainly a significant event.” Konrad Steffen, director of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research WSL, estimated that this iceberg was roughly half the size of the ice island that calved off of Petermann in 2010.

The Petermann Glacier grinds and slides toward the sea along the northwestern coast of Greenland, terminating in a giant floating ice tongue. Like other glaciers that end in the ocean, Petermann periodically

This is a satellite image of a massive iceberg calving from the Petermann Glacier in Greenland, collected on July 19, 2012. (Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images)

This is a satellite image of a massive iceberg calving from the Petermann Glacier in Greenland, collected on July 19, 2012. (Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images)

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This is a satellite image of a glacier calving in Antarctica, collected on January 27, 2012. (Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images)

This is a satellite image of a glacier calving in Antarctica, collected on January 27, 2012. (Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images)

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Where ice flows very fast, it can fracture, creating crevasses. The crevasses can be thin, narrow cracks less than an inch wide, or gaping chasms tens of meters wide and kilometers long. Seemingly very deep, the weight of the ice generally prevent crevasses from extending more than 20 meters below the surface. (NASA) less

Where ice flows very fast, it can fracture, creating crevasses. The crevasses can be thin, narrow cracks less than an inch wide, or gaping chasms tens of meters wide and kilometers long. Seemingly very deep, ... more

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Nasa glacier 3 - A Digital Mapping System (DMS) mosaic of Arctic sea ice. The dark areas are leads, or open areas of water. Identifying leads is one of the necessary steps in preparing IceBridge’s quick look sea ice thickness data product. Credit: NASA / DMS team less

Nasa glacier 3 - A Digital Mapping System (DMS) mosaic of Arctic sea ice. The dark areas are leads, or open areas of water. Identifying leads is one of the necessary steps in preparing IceBridge’s quick look ... more

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Novaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean located north of Russia. Novaya Zemlya was known for being a sensitive military area during the Cold War as the most powerful nuclear devise ever was detonated here. It was a 50 megaton Soviet hydrogen bomb (AN602), nicknamed the ?Emperor Bomb?. Now glaciers in the area are being studied because the duration of open water has increased annually due to the decrease in sea ice. On this image you can see the Moshniy Glacier as large chunks of ice and debris appear to have recently calved off. (Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images) less

Novaya Zemlya is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean located north of Russia. Novaya Zemlya was known for being a sensitive military area during the Cold War as the most powerful nuclear devise ever was ... more

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The ends of glaciers that reach the ocean usually break apart into icebergs. The size of icebergs can range from small ice-cube sized chunks to vast tabular icebergs many tens of kilometers on a side.

The ends of glaciers that reach the ocean usually break apart into icebergs. The size of icebergs can range from small ice-cube sized chunks to vast tabular icebergs many tens of kilometers on a side.

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The Aletsch glacier, the largest in the Alps, continues towards the river Rhone 18 August 2007 near the mountain resort of Bettmeralp. Data shows that the melting of mountain glaciers worldwide is accelerating, a clear sign that climate change. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images) less

The Aletsch glacier, the largest in the Alps, continues towards the river Rhone 18 August 2007 near the mountain resort of Bettmeralp. Data shows that the melting of mountain glaciers worldwide is accelerating, ... more

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The glacier of the "Drus" peaks is pictured on November 8, 2011 near Chamonix (JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

The glacier of the "Drus" peaks is pictured on November 8, 2011 near Chamonix (JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

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A man takes a picture of a road that has been washed away by flood water following the melting of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier due to the eruption of a volcano on April 14, 2010 near Reykjavik. Iceland's second volcano eruption in less than a month melted part of a glacier and caused heavy flooding yesterday, forcing up to 800 people to evacuate and grounding flights. (HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP/Getty Images) less

A man takes a picture of a road that has been washed away by flood water following the melting of the Eyjafjallajokull glacier due to the eruption of a volcano on April 14, 2010 near Reykjavik. Iceland's second ... more

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Seagulls stand on an iceberg floating in a fjord near Ilulissat in Greenland, 16 August 2007. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel visit Greenland to see the extent of damage to melting glaciers. (MICHAEL KAPPELER/AFP/Getty Images) less

Seagulls stand on an iceberg floating in a fjord near Ilulissat in Greenland, 16 August 2007. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel visit Greenland to see the extent of ... more

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Ice forms in coloured strata on the Myrdalsjokull Glacier on February 20, 2009 in south Iceland. A country of glacial and volcanic geology, with a rich historic tradtion, Iceland was ranked in 2007 by the UNHDI as the most developed nation in the world. In 2008 Iceland was hit especially hard by the global economic slowdown, the debts of it's banks were six times the country's annual GDP. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images) less

Ice forms in coloured strata on the Myrdalsjokull Glacier on February 20, 2009 in south Iceland. A country of glacial and volcanic geology, with a rich historic tradtion, Iceland was ranked in 2007 by the UNHDI ... more

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A melt water lake seen under a glacier. September 03, 2007 , East of Kangerlussuaq , Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with its melting ice caps and disappearing glaciers, is an accurate thermometer of global warming. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) less

A melt water lake seen under a glacier. September 03, 2007 , East of Kangerlussuaq , Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with its melting ice caps and disappearing glaciers, is an accurate thermometer ... more

The tail end of the Bossons Glacier in Mont Blanc chain is pictured in the French Alps, on December 26, 2012 in Chamonix. (JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

The tail end of the Bossons Glacier in Mont Blanc chain is pictured in the French Alps, on December 26, 2012 in Chamonix. (JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

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Snow melts at the Aletsch Glacier (Grosser Aletschgletscher), from Hofluh point April 21, 2007 near Brig, Switzerland. The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps, covering more than 120 square kilometers (more than 45 square miles) and is declared part of the UNESCO world nature heritage. Unseasonably warm weather temperatures across Switzerland melted snow even in Alpine altitudes. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images) less

Snow melts at the Aletsch Glacier (Grosser Aletschgletscher), from Hofluh point April 21, 2007 near Brig, Switzerland. The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps, covering more than 120 square ... more

Image 39 of 62

This photograph taken on December 4, 2009 shows the Khumbu Glacier, one of the longest glaciers in the world, in the Everest-Khumbu region some 140 km (87 miles) northeast of Kathmandu. The Himalayan glaciers provide water for more than a billion people in Asia, but experts say they are melting at an alarming rate, threatening to bring drought to large swathes of the continent within decades. (PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images) less

This photograph taken on December 4, 2009 shows the Khumbu Glacier, one of the longest glaciers in the world, in the Everest-Khumbu region some 140 km (87 miles) northeast of Kathmandu. The Himalayan glaciers ... more

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Wind howls across the landscape north of the Arctic Circle across the Alaskan tundra on May 1, 2007 in Kaktovik, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Hutchens/Getty Images)

Wind howls across the landscape north of the Arctic Circle across the Alaskan tundra on May 1, 2007 in Kaktovik, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Hutchens/Getty Images)

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Tourists walk by the Russell Glacier, September 01, 2007 , Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with its melting ice caps and disappearing glaciers, is an accurate thermometer of global warming. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) less

Tourists walk by the Russell Glacier, September 01, 2007 , Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with its melting ice caps and disappearing glaciers, is an accurate thermometer of global warming. (Photo ... more

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The glacier Marmolada at Passo Fedaia with the lake Lago Fedaia in Val di Fassa in the Dolomite Alps on July 18, 2012 in Marmolada, Italy. The lake is at 2057 m altitude.Landscape and panoramic view. (Photo by EyesWideOpen/Getty Images) less

The glacier Marmolada at Passo Fedaia with the lake Lago Fedaia in Val di Fassa in the Dolomite Alps on July 18, 2012 in Marmolada, Italy. The lake is at 2057 m altitude.Landscape and panoramic view. (Photo by ... more

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A picture taken on September 28, 2011 shows the site where the water is pumped out of the Tete Rousse glacier above the French Alps town of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. The experts warned that the 65,000 cubic meters (2.3 million cubic feet) of water that has collected inside the glacier could burst, potentially destroying the 900 homes and other structures in the region. (JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images) less

A picture taken on September 28, 2011 shows the site where the water is pumped out of the Tete Rousse glacier above the French Alps town of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. The experts warned that the 65,000 cubic ... more

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Piles of snow lie on a glacier on June 25, 2010 in Sonamarg, about 86 Km (53 miles) northeast of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. Thajiwas, known as "The Valley of Glaciers", is fast receding. Due to global warming Himalayan glaciers in Kashmir are melting fast, causing water levels of regional rivers and streams to rise by two-thirds. The glaciers are headwaters for Asia's nine largest rivers and are crucial for the 1.3 billion people of the South Asian region. The melting glaciers could endanger lives of millions of people. Aside from global warming, increasing human activity in higher areas is also responsible for the disappearance of the glaciers. Due to a high rate of ablation and heat produced by increasing numbers of tourists, Bakarwals (nomads), herdsmen, school excursions and campers the glacier is visibly retracting. The Jammu and Kashmir Government is making a big effort to promote tourism but the result has serious implications for the eco-system. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images) less

Piles of snow lie on a glacier on June 25, 2010 in Sonamarg, about 86 Km (53 miles) northeast of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. Thajiwas, known as "The Valley of Glaciers", ... more

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Uprooted plants lie on a receding glacier on June 25, 2010 in Sonamarg, about 86 Km (53 miles) northeast of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. Thajiwas, known as "The Valley of Glaciers", is fast receding. Due to global warming Himalayan glaciers in Kashmir are melting fast, causing water levels of regional rivers and streams to rise by two-thirds. The glaciers are headwaters for Asia's nine largest rivers and are crucial for the 1.3 billion people of the South Asian region. The melting glaciers could endanger lives of millions of people. Aside from global warming, increasing human activity in higher areas is also responsible for the disappearance of the glaciers. Due to a high rate of ablation and heat produced by increasing numbers of tourists, Bakarwals (nomads), herdsmen, school excursions and campers the glacier is visibly retracting. The Jammu and Kashmir Government is making a big effort to promote tourism but the result has serious implications for the eco-system. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images) less

Uprooted plants lie on a receding glacier on June 25, 2010 in Sonamarg, about 86 Km (53 miles) northeast of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. Thajiwas, known as "The Valley of ... more

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This photograph taken on December 4, 2009 shows a glacier in the Everest region some 87 miles northeast of Kathmandu. The Himalayan glaciers provide water for more than a billion people in Asia, but experts say they are melting at an alarming rate, threatening to bring drought to large swathes of the continent within decades. (PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images) less

This photograph taken on December 4, 2009 shows a glacier in the Everest region some 87 miles northeast of Kathmandu. The Himalayan glaciers provide water for more than a billion people in Asia, but experts say ... more

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A boat skims through the melting ice in the Ilulissat fjord on August 28, 2008, on the western coast of Greenland. Flying low over the vast, white expanse of Greenland's Ilulissat glacier, one of the biggest and most active in the world, the effects of global warming in the Arctic are painfully visible as the ice melts at an alarming rate. The glacier is the most active in the northern hemisphere, producing 10 percent of Greenland's icebergs, or some 20 million tonnes of ice per day. But the glacier is in bad shape, experts warn. (STEEN ULRIK JOHANNESSEN/AFP/Getty Images) less

A boat skims through the melting ice in the Ilulissat fjord on August 28, 2008, on the western coast of Greenland. Flying low over the vast, white expanse of Greenland's Ilulissat glacier, one of the biggest ... more

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Ice boulders are seen under the Russell Glacier, September 01, 2007 , Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with its melting ice caps and disappearing glaciers, is an accurate thermometer of global warming. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) less

Ice boulders are seen under the Russell Glacier, September 01, 2007 , Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with its melting ice caps and disappearing glaciers, is an accurate thermometer of global ... more

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Snow melts at Aletsch Glacier south to north from Moosfluo point April 21, 2007 near Brig, Switzerland. The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps, covering more than 120 square kilometers (more than 45 square miles) and is declared part of the UNESCO world nature heritage. Unseasonably warm weather temperatures across Switzerland melted snow even in Alpine altitudes. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images) less

Snow melts at Aletsch Glacier south to north from Moosfluo point April 21, 2007 near Brig, Switzerland. The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps, covering more than 120 square kilometers (more ... more

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The edge of Kongsbreen glacial bay, the Kings Glacier, is pictured on February 26, 2008 as Kongsbreen, the most active calving glacier in Svalbard, has receded by about 4,5 kms in 30 years. For the third winter running the fjord is not frozen over due to warmer water on the surface, a warning sign of global warming. (Hakon Mosvold Larsen/AFP/Getty Images) less

The edge of Kongsbreen glacial bay, the Kings Glacier, is pictured on February 26, 2008 as Kongsbreen, the most active calving glacier in Svalbard, has receded by about 4,5 kms in 30 years. For the third winter ... more

Iceberg Lake, which has only recently started thawing out. To get to the lake, visitors must hike five miles uphill, then five miles down the eastern side of the park. (Photo by Nancy Trejos The Washington Post via Getty Images) less

Iceberg Lake, which has only recently started thawing out. To get to the lake, visitors must hike five miles uphill, then five miles down the eastern side of the park. (Photo by Nancy Trejos The Washington Post ... more

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People climb the "Voie royale", way to go to the Mont-Blanc, on June 30, 2011, to the top of the glacier of Tete Rousse, a 3.200 meter peak in the French Alps. (JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

People climb the "Voie royale", way to go to the Mont-Blanc, on June 30, 2011, to the top of the glacier of Tete Rousse, a 3.200 meter peak in the French Alps. (JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images)

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Snow melts on a glacier on June 25, 2010 in Sonamarg, about 53 miles northeast of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. Thajiwas, known as "The Valley of Glaciers", is fast receding. Due to global warming Himalayan glaciers in Kashmir are melting fast, causing water levels of regional rivers and streams to rise by two-thirds. The glaciers are headwaters for Asia's nine largest rivers and are crucial for the 1.3 billion people of the South Asian region. The melting glaciers could endanger lives of millions of people. Aside from global warming, increasing human activity in higher areas is also responsible for the disappearance of the glaciers. Due to a high rate of ablation and heat produced by increasing numbers of tourists, Bakarwals (nomads), herdsmen, school excursions and campers the glacier is visibly retracting. The Jammu and Kashmir Government is making a big effort to promote tourism but the result has serious implications for the eco-system. (Photo by Yawar Nazir/Getty Images) less

Snow melts on a glacier on June 25, 2010 in Sonamarg, about 53 miles northeast of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir, India. Thajiwas, known as "The Valley of Glaciers", is fast ... more

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This aerial photograph taken on December 4, 2009 shows a glacier in the Everest region some 140 km (87 miles) northeast of Kathmandu. The Himalayan glaciers provide water for more than a billion people in Asia, but experts say they are melting at an alarming rate, threatening to bring drought to large swathes of the continent within decades. (PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images) less

This aerial photograph taken on December 4, 2009 shows a glacier in the Everest region some 140 km (87 miles) northeast of Kathmandu. The Himalayan glaciers provide water for more than a billion people in Asia, ... more

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A skier stands above large insulation sheets covering parts of Rettenbach glacier in the ski resort of Soelden 28 October 2007. Insulation has been placed on the glacier to prevent ice from melting. (JOE KLAMAR/AFP/Getty Images) less

A skier stands above large insulation sheets covering parts of Rettenbach glacier in the ski resort of Soelden 28 October 2007. Insulation has been placed on the glacier to prevent ice from melting. (JOE ... more

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Ice boulders left behind under the Russell Glacier, after a flood caused by the overflowing of a lake, east of the town of Kangerlussuaq on September 01, 2007 Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with its melting ice caps and disappearing glaciers, is an accurate thermometer of global warming. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images) less

Ice boulders left behind under the Russell Glacier, after a flood caused by the overflowing of a lake, east of the town of Kangerlussuaq on September 01, 2007 Greenland. Scientists believe that Greenland, with ... more

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A Pakistan Army helicopter (top) carrying President Asif Ali Zardari, Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani, and other officials fly over the site of an avalanche over Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April 18, 2012. Rescuers are still searching for nearly 140 soldiers buried by the mass of snow and rock at Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier, 4,000 metres above sea level. More than 450 rescuers are working at the site near the de facto border with India in the militarised region of Kashmir, though experts have said there is virtually no chance of finding any survivors. (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP/Getty Images) less

A Pakistan Army helicopter (top) carrying President Asif Ali Zardari, Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani, and other officials fly over the site of an avalanche over Gayari camp near the Siachen glacier on April ... more

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Ice on the Ellsworth Range in Antarctica as seen from the IceBridge DC-8 on Oct. 22, 2012. (Credit: NASA / James Yungel)

Ice on the Ellsworth Range in Antarctica as seen from the IceBridge DC-8 on Oct. 22, 2012. (Credit: NASA / James Yungel)

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Calving front of Equp Sermia glacier, West Greenland, one of the four glaciers studied by Rignot and his team. (Image credit: Michele Koppes, University of British Columbia)

Calving front of Equp Sermia glacier, West Greenland, one of the four glaciers studied by Rignot and his team. (Image credit: Michele Koppes, University of British Columbia)

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The Beardmore Glacier was Robert Scott's route to the South Pole. During that trip he discovered the rich fossil record hidden in the outcrops of rock. Since then paleontologists have come to the Beardmore Glacier to collect fossils, as they were doing when this December 2003 photo was taken. Photo: Kristan Hutchison, less

The Beardmore Glacier was Robert Scott's route to the South Pole. During that trip he discovered the rich fossil record hidden in the outcrops of rock. Since then paleontologists have come to the Beardmore ... more

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Ho-hum Arctic ice report should scare you as much as drought, fire and flood